At least, I feel like it was great. But truth is I don’t remember a whole lot about our conversation. My fight with Bonnie Jo is weighing heavily on me; we’ve never had that kind of trouble before.

To think that I could possibly lose her hurts like hell.

Chapter 29

I get to the agency by nine thirty, close enough, but not before I go by the bank, again.

Up on the third floor Mo greets me. “Morning, Tim. Paul wants to see you right away. He’s in his office.” The president is after me early.

“Hey, Paul, good morning,” I greet him, sliding open the glass door.

“C’mon in, Tim, and close the door, okay? We need to talk. These murders are terrible, unbelievable. The only way we’re going to be able to deal with it is by being frank with each other.”

“Of course, man. What’s up?”

“I need to know what you know about Ramon. God rest his soul.”

Here’s a guy who founded and runs a successful, midsize New York ad agency, and he’s basically clueless about a lot of the people who work for him.

“Okay, look. You know some of our creatives use a little—”

“A little what?” he asks. Seriously? He doesn’t know?

“Marijuana, Paul. Weed. A lot of them smoke it. You know that, right?”

“Well, sure, I’ve heard there’s some grass around.…”

“So…” I tell him, “Ramon is the guy they were getting it from. And other stuff, too. Who knows?”

“Oh, my God. It’s worse than I thought. Much worse. Do you think that had anything to do with him getting killed?”

“Of course I do. And I think the cops do, too. Which is why they’re all over the agency. And Tiffany’s murder only makes it worse. Apparently she was getting her drugs from him, too.”

“My God—what has become of my agency? And I have to tell you, Tim—you’re making it worse yourself.”

“What the hell are you talking about, Paul?”

“I know you’re looking for another job.”

Oh, shit. Should have known that kind of thing doesn’t stay secret.

“Paul…that was before all this. It’s not that I’m unhappy here.…”

“Look, we’ve worked too long and too close together to tiptoe around,” Paul says. “This happens in our business, but I like you and so does everybody else here. We’d hate to lose you. And the timing absolutely sucks.”

He pauses, then says, “So, how’s the search going?”

I fumble for a response and say, “Well, yeah, got a couple of possibilities…I…”

“Good! Glad to hear it,” he says. Really?

I take a deep breath. “Thanks for your understanding, Paul. And for your support.” What else can I say? Nothing, so I reach for the door handle.

“By the way, Tim,” Paul says, “Bonnie Jo’s not at work again. Any idea what’s going on with her?”

Chapter 30

Home, finally. Late again, near eleven o’clock. New business pitch is tomorrow. Of course the kids are asleep, and surely disappointed we didn’t get to Pizza Pizazz, as promised. What about Jean? I pour myself a glass of wine from the bottle of Signaterra from Monday and find her in the family room in her nightgown and robe, reading. Or acting as if.